Minneapolis moves to ban new drive-throughs

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

back in the 60s/70s, rivernorth was hardly "prime real estate". thus why so much of it was leveled for parking lots, just like the fringe areas surrounding most US city CBDs back in the bad old days.

Yes, it was "a" skid row area (not quite as bad as the West Loop Skid Row) full of SRO hotels and last-gasp industrial businesses. Not a place you wanted to hang out at night.

McDonald's saw an opportunity to buy cheap land and build a suburban-style store to lure suburbanites and school groups heading back to the expressway from Navy Pier or Michigan Avenue. Even now, this is their bread-and-butter clientele, so I understand why they didn't want to ditch the drive-thru when they renovated last year.

Still, the pavers and curbless "auto plaza" design are far more inviting to pedestrians than a standard suburban drive-thru, and the huge overhangs and glass windows lure people in pretty well. The scale of the new building fits the surroundings much better...

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by 10023

And that’s exactly why local ordinance should mandate it.

yep.

and it's why this move by minneapolis to ban new drive-thrus is a really good first step.

[10023]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

yep.

and it's why this move by minneapolis to ban new drive-thrus is a really good first step.

/ thread?

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Yes, it was "a" skid row area (not quite as bad as the West Loop Skid Row) full of SRO hotels and last-gasp industrial businesses. Not a place you wanted to hang out at night.

McDonald's saw an opportunity to buy cheap land and build a suburban-style store to lure suburbanites and school groups heading back to the expressway from Navy Pier or Michigan Avenue. Even now, this is their bread-and-butter clientele, so I understand why they didn't want to ditch the drive-thru when they renovated last year.

Still, the pavers and curbless "auto plaza" design are far more inviting to pedestrians than a standard suburban drive-thru, and the huge overhangs and glass windows lure people in pretty well. The scale of the new building fits the surroundings much better...

Each iteration of the former Rock n Roll McDonald's has been better than the one that came before it in this way, that's for sure.

I'm just waiting for it to be integrated into a highrise or something. That would be the day that we could finally say goodbye to this eyesore

[plutonicpanda]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

the world's most obnoxious example of this unrelentingly stubborn mentality:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8931...7i16384!8i8192

that whole block of shit can't be hellfired out of existence fast enough.

That's actually pretty cool and I hope they keep that.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by plutonicpanda

I hope they keep that.

considering it just opened last year and probably cost ~$20M to build (McD's already owned the land), it won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

the best we can hope for now is that the land becomes too valuable in the next cycle.

or a barrage of hellfire missiles.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

the world's most obnoxious example of this unrelentingly stubborn mentality:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8931...7i16384!8i8192

that whole block of shit can't be hellfired out of existence fast enough.

Honestly, if they developed the parking lot, got rid of the drive-thru, and made patio seating outside I think it looks pretty cool all things considered.

[llamaorama]

Tear down the Nicollet Kmart

[plutonicpanda]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

considering it just opened last year and probably cost ~$20M to build (McD's already owned the land), it won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

the best we can hope for now is that the land becomes too valuable in the next cycle.

or a barrage of hellfire missiles.

If your only beef with it is the drive thru it seems that could easily be converted. Add a food truck court or patio.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

Honestly, if they developed the parking lot, got rid of the drive-thru, and made patio seating outside I think it looks pretty cool all things considered.

true, the parking lot and drive-thru are far and away its most appalling aspects.

if they axed the drive-thru and sold the parking lot parcel to a developer who would do something worthwhile with it, then i suppose i could be persuaded to take my finger off the hellfire trigger.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

back in the 60s/70s, rivernorth was hardly "prime real estate". thus why so much of it was leveled for parking lots, just like the fringe areas surrounding most US city CBDs back in the bad old days.

But it's been fairly prime for a while now. I stayed at that Doubletree almost a decade ago.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

But it's been fairly prime for a while now. I stayed at that Doubletree almost a decade ago.

right, it's prime now, but it wasn't prime when assloads of late 19th/early 20th century buildings in RN were leveled for parking lots back in the bad old days.

now that RN is prime, new parking lots aren't being created anymore (the new McD's simply replaced and older McDs from the early 00s, that simply replaced and even older McDs from the 80s), you're just experiencing the hangover from several decades worth of abject and shortsighted urban planning stupidity.

one by one, the surface lots of RN are going away, but they are by no means all gone yet. unfortunately, rebuilding a city neighborhood decimated by decades of urban "renewal" destruction takes time.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by 10023

And that’s exactly why local ordinance should mandate it. Otherwise they will inflict negative externalities on the surrounding neighborhood that are not reflected in the cost to the company or its customers.

Allowing McDonald’s to build a suburban format store in the city is like allowing a factory to belch chemicals into the air with no pollution controls. It’s cheaper, but it has a cost that the free market doesn’t accurately price.

Then ban suburban style buildings surrounded by a sea of parking. The drive through ban seems half hearted. If Chicago banned drive throughs, i bet that ostentatious McD's would still make a fortune.

[downtownpdx]

Originally Posted by plutonicpanda

Awful move and hopefully not replicated elsewhere. What will this accomplish? So new parking spaces with curbside pick up will replace the drive thru? Then another makeshift solution will be had? If you want to make your city less dependent on cars spend the money to build proper transit the right way and bike infrastructure but don't restrict businesses.

Less cars idling, waiting in line for their mcnuggets = less carbon emissions = less air pollution = better environment. The gigantic fast food chains will survive this "awful" policy.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by JManc

Then ban suburban style buildings surrounded by a sea of parking.

Well of course that's the ultimate goal, but, baby steps, man, freaking baby steps.

Gotta make that slope all slippery and shit first.

[lio45]

What's that impressively tall residential tower just east of that McDonald's on Ontario St?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by lio45

What's that impressively tall residential tower just east of that McDonald's on Ontario St?

Millennium Centre, an early '00s (bad) Po-Mo vertical turd. I think it's ~600' tall.

[plutonicpanda]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

Less cars idling, waiting in line for their mcnuggets = less carbon emissions = less air pollution = better environment. The gigantic fast food chains will survive this "awful" policy.

Right but my point is there are way around this that still allow customers to sit in their idling cars picking up their food. On top of that, I'm not a supporter of regulations like this that impact businesses.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

Less cars idling, waiting in line for their mcnuggets = less carbon emissions = less air pollution = better environment. The gigantic fast food chains will survive this "awful" policy.

Grub Hub and Uber Eats. Because, putting on your PJ's and going to the drive-through and ordering a Big Mac is such a drag, just pick up your phone instead and some dude in a Honda Fit will show up at the door..

[Buckeye Native 001]

Hey now, not all of us Fit drivers work for Grubhub or Uber.

Some of us work for Lyft and Door Dash.